Japanese cockle
Torigai are tastiest from around March to July, although catches fluctuate dramatically every couple of years. The shiny black membrane covering the flesh marks torigai out from other shellfish, as does the timing of their season and peak flavor. Sourced live in the shell, their plump, succulent flesh provides the perfect balance of tenderness and satisfying texture. Development of the intensely sweet ovaries in peak season makes the cockles even plumper, their proliferating light-colored mass adding to the rich sweetness of the flesh.